The Major in Psychology

Psychology major David Creer spent his summer studying how humans learn. Under the mentorship of Prof. Jill McGaughy, David pursued a research topic entitled "Hold that Thought: Is Persistent Spiking in Medial Temporal Lobe the Basis for Learning?"

Major Requirements (for those admitted to UNH in fall 2005 or later)

The following requirements apply to students admitted to UNH Fall 2005 and later. See below for students admitted to UNH prior to Fall 2005.

Students majoring in psychology must complete 44 credits with a minimum grade of C- in each course and a 2.00 overall average in all major requirements. Students with a first major in psychology may not use any psychology courses to fulfill general education requirements. The distribution of the major requirements is as follows:

A. Three core courses-PSYC 401, 402, and 502.

B. Four breadth (500-level) courses as follows:
Group I: Two courses:
PSYC 511 Sensation and Perception
PSYC 512 Psychology of Primates
PSYC 513 Cognitive Psychology
PSYC 521 Behavior Analysis
PSYC 531 Psychobiology

Under the mentorship of Prof. Brett Gibson, Amanda Bemis, winner of a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship, pursued research on the "traveling salesperson problem" using children. A long-time mathematical conundrum, the "problem" is also of interest to those studying the brain and behavior. The traveling salesperson problem asks: If a salesperson starts at point A, and if the distances between every pair of points are known, what is the shortest route which visits all points and returns to point A?

Group II: Two courses:
PSYC 552 Social Psychology
PSYC 553 Personality
PSYC 561 Abnormal Behavior
PSYC 571 Pioneers of Psychology
PSYC 581 Child Development
PSYC 582 Adult Development

C. Four depth (700-level) courses as follows:
Group I: Two courses:
PSYC 702 (Adv. Statistics), or 705 (Tests & Measurements)
(if not used in Group II below)
PSYC 710 Visual Perception
PSYC 712 Psychology of Language
PSYC 713 Psychology of Consciousness
PSYC 720 Animal Cognition
PSYC 722 Behaviorism, Culture, & Contemporary Society
PSYC 731 Brain & Behavior
PSYC 733 Drugs & Behavior
PSYC 735 Neurobiology of Mood Disorders
PSYC 737 Behavioral Medicine
PSYC 741 (A-D Advanced Topics Group I)

Group II: Two courses:
PSYC 702 (Adv. Statistics), or 705 (Tests & Measurements)
(if not used in Group I above)
PSYC 755 Psychology and Law
PSYC 756 Psychology of Crime and Justice
PSYC 758 Health Psychology
PSYC 762 Counseling
PSYC 763 Community Psychology
PSYC 765 Dysfunctional Families and Therapy
PSYC 771 Psychology in 20th Century Thought and Society
PSYC 780 Prenatal Development
PSYC 783 Cognitive Development
PSYC 785 Social Development
PSYC 791 (A-G Advanced Topics Group II)
PSYC 793 Internship

Major Requirements (for those admitted to UNH prior to fall 2005)

The following requirements apply to students admitted to UNH prior to Fall 2005. See above for students admitted to UNH Fall 2005 and later.

Students majoring in psychology must complete 44 credits with a minimum grade of C- in each course and a 2.00 overall average in all major requirements. Students with a first major in psychology may not use any psychology courses to fulfill general education requirements. The distribution of the major requirements is as follows:

Psychology Major Emily Bolton won an Undergraduate Research Award which enabled her to pursue research on definitions of sexual consent. She worked under the mentorship of Prof. Vicki Banyard.

A. Three core courses-PSYC 401, 402, and 502.

B. Four breadth (500-level) courses as follows:
Group I: Two courses:
PSYC 511 Sensation and Perception
PSYC 512 Psychology of Primates
PSYC 513 Cognitive Psychology
PSYC 521 Behavior Analysis
PSYC 531 Psychobiology

Group II: Two courses from two different tracks:
PSYC 552 Social Psychology
PSYC 553 Personality
PSYC 561 Abnormal Behavior
PSYC 571 Pioneers of Psychology
PSYC 581 Child Development
PSYC 582 Adult Development and Aging

C. Three depth (700-level) courses as follows:
Group I: One course:
PSYC 710 Visual Perception
PSYC 712 Psychology of Language
PSYC 713 Psychology of Consciousness
PSYC 720 Animal Cognition
PSYC 722 Behaviorism, Culture, & Contemporary Society
PSYC 731 Brain & Behavior
PSYC 733 Drugs & Behavior
PSYC 735 Neurobiology of Mood Disorders
PSYC 737 Behavioral Medicine
PSYC 741 (A-D Advanced Topics Group I)

Group II: One course:
PSYC 755 Psychology and Law
PSYC 756 Psychology of Crime and Justice
PSYC 758 Health Psychology
PSYC 762 Counseling
PSYC 763 Community Psychology
PSYC 765 Dysfunctional Families and Therapy
PSYC 771 Psychology in 20th Century Thought and Society
PSYC 780 Prenatal Development
PSYC 783 Cognitive Development
PSYC 785 Social Development
PSYC 791 (A-G Advanced Topics Group II)
PSYC 793 Internship

The third 700-level course may be any additional 700-level course numbered 702-793.

D. One Psychology elective that can be any 500- or 700-level course offered by the psychology department (4 credit minimum; letter grade required; no pass/fail or credit/fail courses).

Notes: All Years

Most offerings have one or more prerequisite courses. Students (with the help of their advisers) are expected to select breadth courses that will later enable them to select depth courses appropriate to their interests and career goals. Specific course selections should be discussed with advisers. Exceptions to the requirements for the major require a petition to the department.

Psychology majors planning to go on to graduate study in psychology are advised to include PSYC 702 and/or 705 among their courses.

Transfer Students: All Years

Transfer students who elect to major in psychology must complete at least 24 credits in the program at UNH to qualify for the degree in psychology. Transfer students must earn a total of 44 approved credits for completion of the psychology major. The distribution of these credits will be determined by the department's academic counselor. Transfer students should note that courses are allotted only the number of credits granted by the original institution (after adjustments for semester-hour equivalents). Thus, students transferring from an institution at which courses carry less than 4 credits each must make up for any credit deficit created by acceptance of transfer credits into the psychology major.